Calatian
Calatians are a humanoid, shapeshifting species originating from the planet of Calatia IX. Calatians are the dominant species of the Calatian Confederation. Biology Bipedal Calatians, on average, stand at roughly 6 feet tall, though when compared to humans, their extra height comes from their digitigrade legs and stacked pectoral muscles. In general, Calatians have brightly colored skin that can be of almost any hue, black hair and fur (though they are incapable of growing hair anywhere besides their head and legs), and horns. Their pupils are slit, with their irises being the same color as their skin with black sclera. While the average Calatian is often slender and noticeably muscled, beyond this, Calatians can vary heavily between individuals. While most have four arms, they can rarely have have two, six, or even only three. And while most Calatians have either four or three eyes, some can rarely have a single eye, or as many as seven. From the waist down they can have even more variation. While most have furry, hooved, satyr-esque legs in caprine, equine, or cervine styles (with caprine legs being the most common), it's also rare to find Calatians with centauroid bodies. In contrast to their furred legs, their tails are bare, long, and tapering. While extremely prehensile, they are also often tipped with a retractable venomous stinger. However some occasionally have a mouth or cluster of tentacles instead. Respiratory Calatians have two sets of lungs: one set that is similar to a human's, and a second smaller set located on the sides of their midriff. These secondary lungs breathe through a number of spiracles on their sides, and while they can't exert themselves using only these lungs (unlike their main pair), they're best used as a backup while their main pair heals. Circulatory Similar to their respiratory system, Calatians have two hearts. Again, mostly for efficiency and as a backup. A Calatian's blood is, rather unsettlingly, thick and black. This color carries over to their flesh and areas like the inside of their mouth. Skeletal A Calatian's skeleton is very sturdy, and appears black and glossy. This is best exemplified by their horns, which like the rest of their body, varies greatly between individuals in terms of style. Overall, while their skeleton is still prone to fracture, it is most well suited to allowing Calatians to give devastating headbutts and to fall from higher locations without injury. Reproduction/Genders Calatians have what can be considered three sexes: male, female, and hermaphrodite. As well as typical male and female genders and anything in between. In general, the ratio of males, females, and hermaphrodites are roughly 25%, 25%, and 50% respectively. In addition, genders are by no means fixed to their sex, leading to six gender/sex combinations. Regardless, Calatians are monotremes, so while female-gendered Calatians and pregnant males have breasts, they lay eggs. After 4 months of gestation, the egg is laid, where it completes the remaining 2 months before hatching. Unlike most species, the terms "mother" and "father" refer to the reproductive role of a Calatian, and not the gender. Calatians have a normal lifespan of about 120 years. Shapeshifting The Calatians' most impressive feat is their ability to alter their appearance and anatomy at will, however doing so requires a lot of practice and a lot of work. While a Calatian can change their appearance based on visual alone, in order to get a more exact copy of an individual or species, a genetic sample is needed, which is collected by nematocyst-like structures in their fingertips. From this sample, a Calatian can fully mimic a species, however would still require a visual reference to fill in details, which makes mimicking an individual somewhat more difficult. Unfortunately, shapeshifting takes time, and does not allow them to mimic any non-organic material or plants. In addition, species with no exposed skin are very difficult to get a genetic sample. While in disguise, a Calatian is more or less held to the form's strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes strengths they can potentially modify their normal "resting" form with. Another use many Calatians find for their abilities is to perpetually make themselves younger. While it means an individual can effectively become immortal, it is entirely possible for a Calatian to die of old age while trying to mimic an older individual. In addition, another use that many find for their abilities is the ability to reproduce through mitosis. While extremely inefficient compared to sexual reproduction, requiring a lot of food, it can be done in under an hour, as opposed to 6 months. The opposite is also possible: multiple Calatians being able to fuse their bodies together to create a larger organism, however this requires a lot of coordination, as this can potentially lead to a consciousness merge: the death of two individuals and the birth of one. A side effect from their shapeshifting ability is that Calatians have a very high regeneration rate. Allowing a rather skilled shapeshifter to regrow an arm or close a serious wound in minutes. History It is widely thought by biologists and Calatians themselves, that the species, along with the similar Aludrans, were the result of an ancient genetic engineering experiment to create a bioweapon, explaining the Calatians' abilities and potentially high reproductive rate. As well as the lack of an evolutionary tree on their homeworlds. Counter-Tactics Calatians are extremely deadly at close range. Their primary weapon is their stinger-tipped tail, which secretes a poison, while not pain inducing, causes disorientation in small doses, sedation in medium doses, and total organ failure from a full dose. And not to mention the potential of their shapeshifting abilities to make any part of their body into a weapon. Therefore, the best way to kill a Calatian is to simply shoot one with an energy weapon. While Calatians can regenerate an open wound, it takes a great deal of time and cauterizing the wound makes regeneration harder. In addition, the loss of both hearts or their brain will, in fact, kill them instantly. While an individual's leg style will net mixed results, Calatians tend to be terrible swimmers and unable to climb some ladders due to the small surface area of their hooves. In addition, chemicals do exist that temporarily retard a Calatian's shapeshifting abilities, making it easier to contain them. Category:Species